Railway crossing gate



Jan. 30, 1934. L. H. PRANGER I RAILWAY CROSSING GATE Filed Nov. 20, 1930Mal-x071 Patented Jan. 30, 1934 NETED TATE RAILWAY CROSSING GATE LouisH. Pranger, Racine, Wis.

Application November 20, 1930 Serial No. 496,878

23 Claims.

This invention relates to railway crossing gates and its purpose is toprovide an improved safety gate adapted to be lowered across a street orhighway crossing to warn pedestrians and the oocupants of vehicles ofthe approach of a railway train. Railway crossing gates of the typesheretofore used have either been manually operated or, in the event theyhave been mechanically operated, have involved the use of rathercomplicated and expensive mechanism so that their installation hasinvolved comparatively large expense to the railway companies adoptingthem. The principal object of the present invention is to provide animproved safety gate which may be mechanically operated to either lowerit or raise it by a simplified form of mechanism which may be readilycontrolled. A further object of the invention is to provide an improvedrailway crossing gate adapted to be either raised or lowered 20 by animproved electrically operated mechanical device in which both theraising and lowering functions are effected by a single mechanism.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved safetygate comprising operating mechanism by which the raising and lowering ofthe gate may be effected very rapidly as compared with the operation ofsafety gates heretofore in use. Other objects relate to various featuresof construction and arrangement which will appear more fullyhereinafter.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the followingspecification taken with the accompanying drawing, in which oneembodiment of the invention is illustrated. In the drawing,

Fig. 1 shows a top plan view of one form of the improved safety gate ofthe present invention;

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1,looking in the direction of the arrows, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 shows a front elevation of the connection between the shaft andthe gate which permits the gate to be turned in one direction only;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the gate, showingmeans for automatically locking the hinged sections of the gate togetherwhen the gate is elevated;

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 2.

As illustrated in the drawing, the improved safety gate comprises a pairof parallel bars 10 which are spaced apart to receive between them thesingle gate bar 11. The bars 10 and 11 are pivotally connected by a pin12 and the bar 11 is normally maintained in alignment with the bars 10by means of two metal clips 13 which are secured to the upper and lowersides of the bar 11 in diagonal relationship to the pin 12 so that oneclip adjacent one end of the bar 11 embraces the under sides of thepivot bars 10, while the other clip 13, on the upper side of the bar 11,engages the upper sides of the bars 10 at the opposite side of the pivot12. This arrangement permits the bar 11 to swing upwardly with respectto the bars 10 but prevents the downward movement of the bar 11. Thebars 10 and 11 are adapted to be lowered across the street or roadway atthe railway crossing and if the gate is accidentally lowered upon anautomobile, for example, the bar 11 swings upwardly to prevent damage.The extent of the upward swinging of the bar 11 with respect to the bars10 is limited by a chain 14 which is attached to the bars 10 and to therear end of the bar 11. When the gate is elevated as hereinafterdescribed, the bar 11 is prevented from swinging away from the bars 10by a detent 15 which is pivoted between the bars 10 and which has aweighted head 15 so that when the gate is elevated, the detent is movedby the action of gravity on the head l5 to cause it to engage the notch11 formed in the end of the bar 11, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby holdingthe bars in alignment. 5

The gate is adapted to be raised and lowered by a vertical operatingshaft 16 and the gate is mounted on the upper end of this shaft throughintermediate parts which include a bracket 17 having arms 1'7 whichextend upwardly on opposite sides of the gate bars 10 to receive the pin18 upon which the bars are pivotally mounted. A counterweight 19 issecured on the end of the bars 10 opposite the bar 11 and a groovedsector 20 of a pulley is secured between the bars 10 with its axisconcentric with the axis 'of the pin 18. A cable 21 has one extremityattached to one end of the pulley sector 20 and then the cable extendsover this pulley and thence downwardly with its lower end attached to acoil spring 22. This coil spring has its lower end attached to anothercable 23 which extends around a pulley 24 and is attached to a collar 25mounted on the shaft 16 so that when the shaft 16 is elevated, adownward pull is exerted on the cable 21 which operates through thepulley sector 20 to turn the gate about the pivot 18 simultaneously withthe elevation of the gate.

The bracket 1'? which carries the gate is provided at its lower end witha socket 1'7 which is arranged to receive a cap member 26 secured uponthe upper reduced extremity of the shaft 16 by means of a transverse pin27. The cap member 26 is provided with an annular groove 26 whichisengaged by set screws 26 passing through the wall of the bracket sothat the bracket is retained in position on the cap member althoughhaving a slight upward movement thereon due to the width of the groove26*. This relative upward movement of the bracket and cap member is forthe purpose of permitting rotation of the cap member in one directionwhich may be desirable to permit the escape of a vehicle which is caughtbetween two gates on a railway track, in which case pressure exertedagainst the gate on the inner side thereof will force it away from thetrack and permit the vehicle to move off of the track. For this purpose,the lower annular flange of the cap member 26 is provided with a numberof upwardly extending lugs 26 each of which has an inclined face 26 atone end and a vertical face 26 at the other end. The lower end of thesocket portion of the bracket 17 is provided with similar depending lugs17 having inclined end faces 17 and other vertical end faces 17. Whenthe gate is in its normal position, the lugs 26 and 17 have theinterlocking relation shown in Fig. 3, wherein the coaction of thevertical faces 17 and 26 prevents rotation of the bracket 17 about thecap member 26 in a direction which would permit the gate to be swunginwardly toward the railway track, but, in the event that pressure isexerted on the gate from the inner side thereof, the lugs 17 of thebracket ride upwardly on the inclined faces 26 of the lugs carried bythe cap member to permit a rotation of the bracket sufficient to allowthe gate to swing away from the railway track. During this movement, theset screws 28 move upwardly in the groove 26 and the spring 22 iselongated enough to compensate for the relative angular movement of thegate on the shaft.

The upward movement of the bracket 17 for the purpose of raisin thegate, as well as the lowering movement thereof, are edected by thelongitudinal movement of the shaft 16 in a vertical direction. Thisshaft is mounted to slide in bearings 35 and 36 which are mounted at theupper and lower ends, respectively, of a tubular casing 37 whichsurrounds the intermediate portion of the shaft and which is secured tothe bearing members by cap screws 38. The lower bearing member 36 isformed integrally with the top cover 39 of a gear casing 39 which issecured by cap screws ii) to blocks 411 embedded in the pavement 42, asshown in Fig. 2. One end wall 39 of this casing also forms a part of thecasing of an electric motor 45 which is thus supported by the casing 39.The shaft 46 of the motor has a bevel pinion 47 fixed thereon and thispinion meshes with a bevel gear 48 having a hub 48 which is internallythreaded to mesh with the threaded portion 16* of the operating shaft. Aroller bearing 49 is interposed between the gear is and the lower partof the casing 39 to receive the downward thrust upon the gear and tocarry the weight of the superimposed parts during the operation of thedevice. The upper end of the gear hub engages the lower end of thebearing 36 so that vertical displacement of the gear within the casingis thereby prevented. The casing 39 has a tubular downward extension 50which extends into an aperture 51 formed in the pavement 42 and thelower end of this tubular extension of the casing is closed by a cap 52,thus forming a well or recess into which the lower part of the threadedportion 16 of the operating shaft extends. The shaft 16 is preventedfrom 'otating by a pair of lugs 25 which are formed on the collar 25 andwhich extend on opposite sides of a vertical rib i3 which is secured tothe inner side of the housing 37. The housing 37 has a lateral extension37 in which. the pulley 2a is mounted and through which the cable 21 andspring 22 extend. When the gear 18 is driven by the motor 45, the shaftis either raised or lowered by reason of its threaded connection withthe gear, depending upon the direction of rotation of the gear, so thatthe bracket 17 and the gate are thereby raised or lowered, dependingupon the direction of movement. The lower end of the shaft 16 iscentered in the tubular extension 50 of the housing by means of a collar53 which is sec red in the end of the shaft and which is provided withnotches 53 to permit the passage of oil by the collar during thevertical movement of the shaft.

In order that the single shaft 16 and motor 45 may be utilized for bothraising and lowering the gate, the electric motor 45 is provided withsuitable windings and controlling devices so that its direction ofrotation may be reversed at the will of the attendant. These connectionsare illustrated somewhat diagrammatically in Fig. 2, where two lineconductors 54 and 55 are shown as supplying the current from a suitablesource of supply to a double pole controlling switch 56 which has itsother terminals connected to the line conductors 54 and 55 which lead toa rheostat and reversing switch 57. From this device two line conductors58 and 59 lead to the a terminals of the motor 45 and a conductor 60leads to the field winding thereof so that when the operating handle 57of the device 57 is thrown to the proper positions, the motor 45 isoperated to rotate in the desired direction. When the shaft is elevated,the bracket 17 is carried therewith so that the bars of the gate aremoved upwardly to the inclined position illustrated in Fig. l. Duringthis movement the upward movement of the shaft causes a downward pull onthe cable 21 so that the pulley sector 20 is turned and the gate tiltedat the same time that its pivot 18 is elevated. When the shaft 16 islowered, the operation is reversed and the gate swings downwardly bygravity about the pivot 18 as the pivot is lowered.

The construction of the gate whereby relative movement of the partsthereof is permitted when any obstruction is encountered during thelower ing of the gate is claimed in my co-pending divisional applicationSerial No. 625,007, filed July 27, 1932.

Although one form of the invention has been shown and described by wayof illustration, it will be understood that it may be constructed invarious other embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar, a singlevertically disposed operating shaft, and means comprising a membercarried by and rotatable on said shaft and adapted when operated toactuate said shaft for raiw ing lowering said gate bar.

2. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar, a shafthaving a pivotal connection with and supporting said gate bar, and meansfor raising and lowering said shaft to pivotally operate said gate toopen and closing positions.

3. The combination in a railway safety gate,

of a gate bar adapted to have a lower horizontal position when closedand an upper inclined position whenopen, a vertical shaft connected toand supporting said gate bar, and means for effecting vertical movementof said shaft to move said gate bar from one of said positions toanother.

4. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar, a threadedshaft connected to said gate bar, a threaded member engaging said shaft,and motor actuated means for rotating said threaded member to advanceand retract said shaft and thereby open and close said gate.

5. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar, a threadedshaft connected to said gate bar, a threaded member engaging said shaft,motor actuated means for rotating said threaded member to advance andretract said shaft and thereby open and close said gate, and means forreversing the direction of rotation of said motor.

6. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar adapted toassume a horizontal position when closed and an upper inclined positionwhen open, a vertical shaft pivotally connected to said gate bar, saidshaft having an externally threaded portion, a rotatably threaded membermounted on said threaded portion of said shaft, and means for rotatingsaid threaded member to move said shaft vertically.

7. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar adapted toassume a horizontal position when closed and an upper inclined positionwhen open, a vertical shaft pivotally connected to said gate bar, saidshaft having an externally threaded portion, a rotatably threaded membermounted on said threaded portion of said shaft, means for rotating saidthreaded member to move said shaft vertically, and means for re- Iversing the direction of rotation of said threaded member.

8. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a support, a gate barhaving an intermediate portion pivotally mounted on said support, meansfor elevating said support, and means for holding one end portion ofsaid gate bar against upward movement whereby the elevation of saidsupport effects an upward swinging movement of the other end portion ofsaid gate bar.

9. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a support, a gate barpivotally mounted upon said support, means for elevating said support,and means for turning said gate bar about said pivotal connection whensaid support is elevated.

10. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a support, a gate barpivotally mounted upon said support, means for elevating said support,and means actuated by the upward movement of said support for swingingsaid gate bar about its pivotal connection on said support.

11. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar adapted toassume a horizontal position when closed and an upper inclined positionwhen open, a shaft pivotally supporting a part of said bar adjacent oneend thereof, means for moving said shaft vertically to open and closesaid gate, and means for turning said gate about its pivot as said shaftis moved vertically.

12. The combination in a railway safety gate,

of a gate bar adapted to assume a horizontal position when closed and anupper inclined position when open, a shaft pivotally connected to saidbar adjacent one end thereof, means for moving said shaft vertically toopen and close said gate,

- and means carried by said shaft for turning said gate about said shaftduring its vertical movement.

13. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar adapted toassume a horizontal position above the pavement when closed and an upperinclined position when open, an externally threaded shaft having itsupper end pivotally connected to said bar inwardly from said end, acasing secured on said pavement and enclosing said shaft, a threadedmember engaging said shaft within said casing, means for rotating saidthreaded member to move said shaft vertically and thereby effect apivotal movement of said gate about said pivotal connection with saidpavement, a pulley sector mounted on said gate bar, and a flexiblemember connected to said sector and having connections with said shaftto effect the turning of said gate bar when said shaft is elevated.

14. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar adapted toassume a horizontal position above the pavement when closed and an upperinclined position when open, an externally threaded shaft having itsupper end pivotally connected to said bar inwardly from said end, acasing secured on said pavement and enclosing said shaft, a threadedmember engaging said shaft within said casing, and means comprising anelectric motor carried by said casing for rotating said threaded memberto effect vertical movement of said shaft.

15. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar adapted toassume a horizontal position above the pavement when closed and an upperinclined position when open, an externally threaded shaft having itsupper end pivotally connected to said bar inwardly from said end, acasing secured on said pavement and enclosing said shaft, a threadedmember engaging said shaft within said casing, means comprising anelectric motor carried by said casing for rotating said threaded memberto effect vertical movement of said shaft, and an electric circuit forsaid motor comprising means for reversing the direction of rotationthereof.

16. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar, a verticalshaft having its upper end pivotally connected to said bar, said shaftbeing externally threaded, a casing in which said shaft is mounted forvertical movement, a bevel gear having an internally threaded hubmounted on said shaft within said casing, a driving motor, a pinionactuated by said motor and meshing with said gear, and means for holdingsaid shaft against rotation during the rotation of said gear.

17. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar, a verticalshaft, a bracket mounted on said shaft and pivotally connected to saidbar, means for raising and lowering said shaft to open and close saidgate bar, and means carried by said bracket and said shaft forpreventing angular movement of said gate bar in one direction andpermitting angular movement thereof in the opposite direction.

18. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar, a verticalshaft, a bracket mounted on said shaft and pivotally connected to saidbar, a casing enclosing said shaft, means for raising and lowering saidshaft to open and close said gate bar, a lug carried by said shaft andhaving a vertical face at one end and an inclined face at the other, andanother lug carried by said bracket and having a vertical face to engagesaid vertical face of said first lug when said gate bar is in its normalposition.

19. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a gate bar, a supportupon which said gate bar is pivotally mounted, and means for elevatingsaid support and thereby raising said gate.

20. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a support, a gate barpivotally mounted at an intermediate point on said support, means forefiecting vertical movement of said support, and means forming aconnection between said support and one end portion of said gate bar forcausing a swinging movement of said gate bar about its pivotalconnection when said support is moved vertically.

21. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a support, a gate barmounted on said support, means for raising and lowering said support toraise and lower said gate bar, and means for permitting a swingingmovement of said gate bar horizontally about said support.

22. The combination in a railway safety gate,

of a support, a gate bar, means for supporting said gate bar on saidsupport and permitting angular movement of said gate bar in onehorizontal direction and preventing angular movement thereof in theopposite horizontal direction, and means for raising and lowering saidsupport.

23. The combination in a railway safety gate, of a vertical support, abracket mounted on said support, a gate bar pivoted on said bracket toswing vertically, said bracket comprising relatively movable partsadapted to permit said gate bar to swing horizontally in one directiononly, means for raising and lowering said support, and means for causingsaid gate bar to swing vertically about its pivotal connection on saidbracket when said support is moved vertically.

LOUIS H. PRANGER.

